Index 19: Matthew Rana

A Form Adequate to Memory: 36 Fragments for Bernadette Mayer

Index 19 welcomes artist, poet and critic Matthew Rana, who will present 36 prose fragments written for American poet Bernadette Mayer’s Memory (1971–76), an “emotional science project” comprising of 1,116 photographs, over eight hours of audiotape and a book-length poem. The presentation is part of Rana’s ongoing engagement with practices of self and life writing related to, yet distinct from auto-biographical, auto-fictional and lyrical traditions. Rana’s presentation expands on a text published in issue fourteen of Objektiv magazine, “The Flexible Image Pt.II”.

A facsimile copy of the Bernadette Mayer: Memory, can be downloaded here.

Matthew Rana (born 1981, US) is an artist and writer living in Malmö. His latest work SUECLOGUE, was recently exhibited at Disjecta Center for Contemporary Art in Portland, OR. Matthew is the author of The Theory of the Square (Torpedo Press, 2014) and Holiday Poems (VarvVarv, 2015), and his writing on contemporary art has appeared in Art Agenda, Frieze and Kunstkritikk, among others.

Index 19 is a monthly series in Index’ front space. Presenting single works, films, readings and discursive events, Index 19 is a space for dialogue with surrounding communities and visitors.